Kaalan

This dish tastes best with yam, but I made it with ladies finger(okra) this time.
Heat oil in a kadai and fry a few pieces of ladies finger(chopped into long pieces) adding a pinch of salt.Once it is fried, keep them aside.

Make a paste out of coconut(add in large quantity), 4-5 green chillies and cumin.
Add the cumin to the paste towards the end when the paste is almost ready only.

Whip curd (should be a little sour, neither too sour nor void of it) in the mixie and keep aside.

To a little water, add turmeric powder, chilli powder and pepper powder.
Once it comes to a boil, add the fried okra and salt to taste and mix it well.
Add the coconut paste to this and allow to boil well.
Once the above mixture boils well, add the curd and cook for a minute or so. Add curry leaves and switch off the stove.

In a kadai heat a little coconut oil, add mustard seeds, methi, red chilly and curry leaves. Add this to the above.

The main difference between this and mor kozhambu is in the consistency. Mor kozhambu is a little watery and we eat it with cooked moong dal and rice. Kaalan has to be real thick and is eaten with rice .